Krose decided that he had a special gift for her after all. It was already two nights before Rienna would be here and he was exhausted from the preparations and very little sleep, but he stayed up that night to prepare this gift. He even called upon Kalhmera to make it perfect.
When the sun set the night before Seije and Rienna were to arrive, Krose had climbed out on the roof, surprised to see Dinsch up there as well.
“Where’s Seles?” Krose asked. It wasn’t said in jest; Krose rarely ever saw the two of them apart.
Dinsch smiled at his friend and then looked back up at the sky.
“Asleep. I am too excited to sleep yet. I’ve missed Rienna. Is it strange that I miss our terrible journey, just for the friends we have left behind?” Dinsch asked Krose.
Krose shook his head and sat next to his friend.
“You’re seriously the weirdest Bryfolk I have ever met, but you’re not wrong. I miss them too. Seriously, don’t most rabbits hate high places?” Krose asked jokingly.
Dinsch just nodded.
“Yeah, I guess. But there’s no telling what the human side was like. Seles thinks maybe my sample was contaminated with Reishe…”
“You were natural-born, Dinsch,” Krose argued.
“Some humans might argue that’s impossible,” Dinsch shot back.
“So, there are bigots everywhere. We’ve seen worse,” Krose countered. The silence told him he won. He hadn’t wanted to argue with Dinsch anyway, but Dinsch had a hair-trigger sometimes. Or a hare-trigger? Verity wasn’t the only one that was amused with wordplay.
Dinsch was the first to break the silence again.
“I thought you might stay with her…” he quietly confessed.
Krose was about to ask whom, but he knew better. Krose shook his head now.
“Not that I didn’t want to… I can’t just live with her and be okay with being a friend and I’m not good for her. Yeah, I’m a catch, but just not right for her. I couldn’t be too far from her either, you know? I probably sound like I’m making excuses but I thought this through. I love her, Dinsch, but she’s not the one.”
Dinsch pouted at Krose’s rambling.
“You’re a coward,” he accused.
Krose laughed at that.
“I’m a realist,” Krose countered.
“Since when?” Dinsch challenged.
Krose fell silent and looked down at his hands.
“Since I decided to move on,” was all he could come up with.
“She needs you, you know that…” Dinsch pushed stubbornly. “And don’t act like you didn’t get butterflies knowing she was coming. You light up like a schoolgirl when she’s around.”
Krose laughed and shoved Dinsch hard enough that he rocked onto his side before righting himself again, laughing too.
“Seije and this Arden guy are looking after her. Not that she needs any looking after. She gave me this gift, you know, this building we sit on now. She’s been gently pushing me away from the moment I started getting too close. I might have taken offense if it were anyone else, but she was right to. There are different things in store for her and I.”
“You’re never going to get over her,” Dinsch tormented Krose cruelly.
“I knew that getting into it, but I couldn’t stop it either,” Krose admitted, punching Dinsch lightly. “Until I met her I was the coward that couldn’t get up the nerve to save my best friend and face my own future. Whatever happens, I will always be there for her. But I owe it to her to live my own life too.”
“You’re still a coward,” Dinsch teased.
“Yeah, but at least I have you to keep reminding me of that,” Krose admitted.
They sat in silence for a while again. When Dinsch spoke again, he spoke of all the horrors Krose would have sworn his friend would never tell him. He didn’t deserve it, since he kept his own horrors a secret. Krose didn’t say one word the whole time and when Dinsch was done, he hugged Dinsch then punched him and went to bed. Tomorrow, they would see Rienna and the celebration would begin. No time to dwell on the past.
Krose thought he wouldn’t be able to sleep well that night, but he actually overslept to his surprise. At first, he was in a panic until he realized that the people he had hired were moving right along ahead of schedule and he was able to calm down again. Dinsch and Seles were already dressed to the nines and enjoying a glass of white wine at the bar when Krose stumbled in, disheveled and panicky amongst the already growing crowds beginning the celebration early. It was their intention for the revelry to be in full swing by the time their friends got there. After Seles filled Krose in, Dinsch set about teasing his friend.
“If you’re trying to convince Rienna that you’re completely not hung up on her, this look is really driving it home,” Dinsch ridiculed.
Krose scratched his head, feeling foolish for getting so worked up. He was wearing whatever pants he had shed the day before, wrinkled from their discarded heap on the floor and a mismatched shirt with a big greasy stain on the front.
“I overslept, ass,” Krose mumbled. “I keep forgetting I’m so awesome that this restaurant practically runs itself now. Hang tight—I’ll be back once I get dressed.”
Krose headed back home and jumped in the shower, letting the water run over his skin for longer than necessary. One thing he never got sick of was nice, warm showers. When his cock woke up, he realized he had been neglecting to give it any attention this week too. Rienna was the first to pop into his mind as he reached down to stroke himself and he tried to shake it off guiltily and thought of Jalay instead. Fuck it, it was his fantasy; he threw in Rienna, Melina, Halya, Oly, and 4 or 5 more girls he’d been with too. It made the release a lot quicker and gave him more time to get dressed so why the hell not?
Krose looked in the mirror, dripping wet and naked for a moment. He picked up his dagger and started shearing his hair off, first in small bits then more and more of it. When he was done, the sides and back were close cropped and the top was longer, some bits of it sticking up and some falling just above his eyes. It wasn’t sleek but it suited him, messy and still sexy. He laughed at his reflection and decided he liked it, but the hair stuck to him everywhere, so he jumped in the shower to rinse it off.
The suit he had made for this day was of the forest green color that best suited him, a snug fit but made of material both flexible and flattering. The short pants tucked into the soft black leather of the knee-high boots. The front of the jacket buttoned over the left shoulder to end at the right hipbone, an irregular cut but it suited him perfectly. The front of the jacket was cut high but the back was cut low, just above the backs of his knees. The black leather belt that he wore with it hung at the opposite angle of the front cut of the jacket, the large black cuffs of his jacket also angled to great effect. The tops of his ears were cuffed with thick gold hoops and the whole look made him look roguish. He looked again in the mirror and was satisfied and left to meet up with his friends.
Krose was never gorgeous, but this look drew more than the average amount of female attention. When he entered his restaurant again, he heard the squeals of several of his barmaids (and even some of the ones he hadn’t slept with) to really boost his ego. Dinsch looked sheepish and Seles looked genuinely shocked as he approached.
“Wow, you really clean up nice,” Seles gushed in awe, reaching out to touch his newly shorn hair. “Short hair really looks good on you.”
Krose smiled lopsidedly at her flattery. Dinsch rolled his eyes, not mean-spiritedly though.
“You look less like a little schoolgirl,” Dinsch offered, which was about as close to a compliment as he would ever get. Krose laughed and sat, his favorite vintage of wine greeting his hand as he did.
It was only hours until he would see Seije and Rienna again and he was giddy. The wine calmed his nerves but he knew he would have to drink carefully. Overindulging would definitely make him giddy, but unattractively sloppy as well. He might have planned everything else impeccably but he was
still tripping over what to say to Rienna when the time came. He wanted to make it clear that he would always be by her side, but she really didn’t need the burden of his feelings either. So whatever else happened, he wanted to weigh this one out carefully.
Heroes’ Tribute was on the edge of the electric city, a place both steeped in modern conveniences with the charm of a rustic wilderness outside of it. There was a sort of courtyard where vehicles or carriages could deposit passengers and it circled a stone fountain showcasing a young girl consorting with two magical fish and sitting on a huge mushroom. It was partially shaded by the trees on the front facing of the main building— one of Krose’s first expansions had been procuring the neighboring vacancies and making the restaurant/bar a true inn. For the arrival of the heroes, Krose had blocked off the area around the fountain to accommodate foot traffic only and some of the revelers sat along the edge of the fountain, laughing and conversing.
The sort of formality that was usual was looser and less strict today and Krose was glad for it. Seije might stand on formality but Krose, Rienna and the rest of them were more in their element among the drifters of the world. The musicians started to show up and settle in the locations Krose had decided upon and the lawn areas were becoming more like the natural dance floors the Bryfolk could turn any meadow into. He was filled with great pride that his standing in the city could attract so many people to welcome his dearest friends.
Of course, Krose wished that Lyria, Pierait, Finn and Verity could be here too; he also dearly missed Night, Freesia, Ashe and Melchior, so many that did not live to see the new world, but he was glad at least that he could welcome his brother and Rienna. If he could get away with it, he would organize a huge celebration for every one of them, one at a time. If not for each of them, they would not have a world to celebrate in at all.
The ride from Merschenez to Neibelung was one Rienna had taken easily before but she was not the same girl as then—her blood was no longer boiling for revenge and she was not so honed as a warrior. She was more experienced, but she was not so diligent in her training as she had been then either. Indeed, she had become somewhat complacent in her new life, the garden competing with her training and she was becoming softer, curvier and sorer. This was never so obvious as now—riding a horse was making her cranky and saddle-sore.
Seije had tried to help her get more comfortable and she snapped at him and told him not to wait on her. Seije was always a gentleman so she tried not to hold it against him but he could be overbearing at times. She was resigned to her gender, but she was certainly not comfortable being treated like a lady either. She supposed she couldn’t have it both ways; she certainly hadn’t turned down the fresh eggs and milk he often brought or having her feet rubbed after a long day outside. Yet sometimes he babied her, told her she should not work so hard and she knew she wasn’t being clear enough about where he could shove his concerns. Arden was just as smothering only she had less of a problem knocking him on his ass. She had no such faith that Seije would take it so lightly.
Rienna was practical in her wardrobe for the trip though, perhaps a saving grace. She wore a silvery gray riding dress in a style that could easily double as a formal gown. It was sleeveless and the fabric of the bodice crossed over her chest leaving the skirt to billow just below that. The skirt was a sturdy velvety material where the top was more flexible and silky but no less durable. Of course, Rienna did not travel anywhere without her weapons crossing her back and she had even had matching sheathes made for her attire. In fact, one of her shopping splurges led her to collect a great deal of sheathes to match her entire wardrobe. She had only needed to pack a single dress for this trip though; they would stay the evening and leave the following afternoon. She doubted she would even be able to stay up very late at all—early nights were another part of her new routine.
Seije spent a good deal of their trip telling Rienna about the places they passed. Despite having lived there her whole life, Rienna was surprised by how much she didn’t know about the area. Then again, Seije always had his head in a book when he wasn’t being the consummate captain and he did have access to the best library on the continent. The histories and lore of this place were all at his fingertips.
It was not at all annoying or boring listening to Seije’s knowledge of tales and histories, but sometimes she would get lost in thought and remember times past and have to stifle a laugh. One time it sounded like a cough and Seije had stopped his tales, concerned, before she grudgingly told him she was all right. She wasn’t entirely sure why he was fussing with her, but it wasn’t doing much to improve her overall mood. She wouldn’t choke to death, of all the stupid ways to die.
By the time they did arrive in Neibelung it was in the late afternoon and there was already quite a bit of excitement and stirring. They came in through the north gate and noticed the fliers announcing today’s celebration. Rienna began to feel butterflies of excitement. She did not put it past Krose to go over the top here. She was proud of how successful her dear friend had been and knew this was only a small taste of what was to come.
Rienna insisted that they stop in an inn in the north part of town to rest a bit. There was no great hurry and she didn’t want to see her friends looking bedraggled and worse for the wear. Seije stayed in the bar while Rienna took a room. She bathed, redressed and made sure her hair was in place before going back down. The heat from the bath had put some color in her cheeks and she looked positively lovely when it was time to set off again. It was only a 15-minute ride before they would be at the Heroes’ Tribute—they left their horses and took a hover car shuttle to their destination. The horses would have taken 45 minutes and they were sorely in need of rest anyway.
The first thing Rienna noticed was the beautiful fountain out in front of the Tribute. The smiling girl at its center looked like her and the fish were a nice touch. It nearly brought a tear to her eye, thinking of Sea Star. There was already quite the crowd here and Seije was having a hell of a time keeping Rienna from being jostled by the lively bunch.
“RIEEEEENNNNNNAAAA!!” came a shout across the way and Rienna turned to see Dinsch and Seles bounding towards her. Dinsch was uncommonly gentle as he picked her up and tickled her cheeks with excitable kisses. She laughed and pushed at him ineffectually.
“Hi, Seles. You look amazing. This place has really been good for you,” Rienna told her while wincing against the onslaught of affection.
Seles grinned and spun around, the soft buttery yellow sundress floating about her like the petals of a flower. Dinsch wore a sky-blue sleeveless vest and leggings, which was a stunning combination on him. It made the white of his hair even more shocking against his sun dark skin. Seles was the one that was really stunning though; where she had looked stern and sexless before, she looked demure and feminine now. She was almost wistful with the memory of how love could soften the edges. She didn’t need hard edges anymore, but Rienna wasn’t quite sure if she could let anyone make her soft again.
Seles blushed at Rienna’s words.
“Thank you, Rienna. Time has been good to you as well. Such a handsome escort, but no husband yet?” Seles asked without teasing.
Rienna smirked.
“Last I heard, you and Dinsch hadn’t tied the knot yet either,” she accused kindly.
Seles giggled and Dinsch put Rienna down to snuggle Seles.
“I’ll wear her down eventually. She’s as stubborn as you, Rienna,” Dinsch confessed and earned a slap from Seles. She wasn’t angry but she wasn’t exactly happy either.
Rienna’s eyes left her friends for a moment to check out the crowd and she smiled seeing all the happy faces. She did a double take, realizing her eyes nearly passed over Krose. She had never seen him looking so self-possessed and handsome, but then the man didn’t often realize the effect he had on women.
She pushed through the crowd single-mindedly until she was standing in front of him and he looked no less stunned to see her there, as if she would disappear i
f he blinked.
“Rienna. I’m glad you could come,” Krose softly told her, reaching out to touch her cheek before being yanked away by one of the bartenders.
“Got a vendor insisting on your signature, boss; wouldn’t just let me sign for it. Sorry, mum, I’ll have him back to you shortly,” the grizzled man apologized to her as they sped away. Rienna smiled a small smile and nodded as Dinsch, Seles and Seije came back to her.
It seemed that the rest of the night, Krose was always being pulled away. Even on relief, he was still seeing to many of the events. The five of them got to enjoy a dinner of the finest freshest dishes Krose could whip up (they did get to see Krose for a moment here since he insisted on cooking their meals himself and they wanted to give their compliments to the chef). Rienna could not handle wine so she tried one of Krose’s signature nonalcoholic fruit cocktails instead. She caught glimpses of him quite a bit but never got more than a few words in edgewise.
The entertainers organized in the early evening to show off their best performances and Rienna was delighted. Already bards were singing their tales and, like the bardy tales of before, the details were quite over spun. As the sun went down, she began to wonder if she would really be able to speak to him at all. She was happy for Krose, completely in awe of how well he was doing for himself, but she missed their quiet conversations. At some point, Dinsch and Seles led her to a stage and she was dizzy with the thrill of it as they pulled her onto the stage to meet with Krose. Seije watched proudly while Rienna’s nerves built up as Krose hushed the crowd.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, as well as those who don’t fit either category, I’m glad you could all be here tonight to celebrate the reunion of yet another hero on our journey to protect our world from destruction,” Krose began addressing the crowd.
The Truth about Heroes: Complete Trilogy (Heroes Trilogy) Page 72